Leander picked the call and pressed the phone to his ear. “Dorian, what now?” His voice was clipped, irritation creeping in from the disruption. On the other end, there was a pause, followed by a heavy sigh that told Leander whatever Dorian was about to say wouldn’t sit well with him. “You’re not gonna like this,” Dorian finally muttered. Leander leaned against the bar, motioning for a whiskey neat. “I already don’t. Just spit it out.” Dorian’s voice dropped into a solemn tone. “It’s about Camila.” Leander stiffened, his jaw clenching. He’d already endured enough of Camila’s mind games tonight, and the thought of her entangling him in another problem made his head ache. “What about her?” “She betrayed me.” The words came bluntly, as if Dorian was struggling to keep his frustration in check. “Everything we built, every agreement—she’s been feeding our competitors information. My private dealings. My investments.” Leander’s fingers tightened around the phone, his drink arriving
Leander stared at his phone, knowing Dorian’s request wasn’t going to be as simple as calling Yvonne. The line went silent after their last exchange, but the weight of the conversation lingered. His gut told him Dorian wouldn’t reach out unless there was something big involved—something more than just apologies and regrets. His phone buzzed again, and Leander glanced at the screen. Another message from Dorian, “I need to meet you. It’s important.”Leander sighed. With a reluctant shake of his head, he texted back, “Where?”Dorian’s reply was quick. “My place. 30 minutes.”---Thirty minutes later, Leander pulled up in front of Dorian’s penthouse, the skyline glittering in the background. He hated getting dragged into situations like this, but curiosity and the nagging feeling of unfinished business kept him moving forward. Dorian opened the door before Leander could knock, greeting him with an uneasy smile. “Come in. We’ve got a lot to talk about.”Leander stepped inside, the fami
As Leander pushed open the door to leave Dorian’s penthouse, his phone buzzed again. He knew who it was without even looking. He sighed, debating whether to pick up or let it ring out. After a second, irritation won, and he swiped the screen. “Leander,” Dorian’s voice was smooth, but there was a slight edge to it. “You’re walking away from the deal too quickly. You’ll regret it.” Leander chuckled bitterly, already halfway down the hall. “Do you think I’m stupid, Dorian? You were setting me up from the start.” Dorian’s silence on the other end gave Leander all the confirmation he needed. “You thought I wouldn’t figure it out, huh?” Leander said, lowering his voice. “I pull the job, get the money, and the moment the Sullivans start sniffing around, you throw me under the bus. Tell them it was my idea. That I was the mastermind.” “That’s not—” Dorian started, but Leander cut him off. “Save it. I know exactly how this works. You keep your hands clean, and I take the fall. Smar
Leander and Brianna sat side by side on the sofa, hands still intertwined, as they pieced together their plan. The air between them felt lighter now, not just because of the kiss but because they knew they had a path forward. Whatever Rex and Dorian were scheming, they wouldn’t go down without a fight.“We’ll need to time this perfectly,” Brianna said, her fingers gently tapping against Leander’s knuckles. “If we expose Rex and Dorian too early, they’ll wriggle out of it, and we’ll be the ones left in the fire.” Leander nodded, his mind sharpening with focus. “Yeah. We wait until they start their operation—whatever scam they’re running. That’s when we make our move. If we hit them mid-action, it’ll be harder for them to cover their tracks.” “And that’s when we go to the Sullivans,” Brianna added, her eyes narrowing in thought. “With enough evidence, they won’t be able to ignore us.” Leander tilted his head, considering the dangers. “What if Dorian figures out what we’re doing? O
At approximately 7:30 a.m., Leander Hawthorne and Camila dashed into the library, textbooks in hand, their minds set on the looming final exams.Although attractive and brilliant, Leander faced financial struggles while his peers enjoyed a lavish lifestyle. Despite their efforts to reduce social inequality, their resentment served as a reminder of his low status. They engaged in various behaviors, from gloating and monopolizing resources to making his path to success more challenging. He was belittled for his part-time job, mocked for his second-hand clothes, and excluded from expensive social events because they believed he didn't deserve special treatment.In the absence of any festive arrangements, murmurs and whispers, accompanied by background music boomed. Irritated, Leander and Camila glanced up from their books to see what was happening."Camila, come over here!" They heard their friends' voices echoing as one. Additionally, Leander couldn't help but wonder if those students w
"Hahaha, I thought people claim you're very intelligent and most brilliant. Can't you pass without reading? I bet this final exam you won't make it to the top like other semesters because I want you to fail miserably. You won't be the best this time; I'm the next!" Rex admitted with a deep scowl, his eyes filled with excitement."Tearing my textbook won't solve the problem, but do you know how important it is to me? Rex, I won't let this go for belittling me and destroying my belonging." In frustration, Leander insisted, his expression stern and authoritative.Rex nodded in agreement. "Go ahead, spoiled brat! Let's see what you can do,” Irritated by his statement, Leander retaliated by lunging at Rex, seizing his pricey Rolex. With trembling hands, he smashed it against the wall until it shattered. "Fuck you," Rex muttered through gritted teeth. Rex, trembling with anger, landed a feeble kick on Leander, who nearly lost consciousness from the impact and fell to the ground. The kick
Back on campus in the evening, Leander experienced what he never wished for—he bumped into Camila. Tension surged as they locked gazes, memories of Leander’s humiliation flooding back.Enraged, Leander's voice quivered with hurt. "You cheat," he accused. "You dumped me all because of that brilliant fool, Rex. Imagine someone just waking up one day and telling you that he loves you; now you're falling for a playboy," he lamented, his words heavy with a mix of disbelief and unease.“Ergh, I can't fall for a bigger coward… a scum like you! Go to hell,” Camila exclaimed with a deep scowl. “Imagine, you even had the audacity to call an asshole,”Laughter erupted from nearby students as they eavesdropped on their conversation, finding Camila's insult to Leander amusing, simply mocking him.They whispered, "Is this poor soul here to win over Camila?" The murmurs from a set of students continued, "Camila is off-limits to you, got it? Don't let the catch you here, or you'll be treated like
The next day, Leander found himself alone in his room, his mind swirling with panic as he tried to decipher the unexpected deposit. The sender's identity remained a mystery, adding to his unease.As time passed, Leander was lost in thought, torn between the mysterious funds and his pressing financial commitments."What if this money isn't meant for me? Could it be a banking error?" He pondered, feeling his head spin in confusion as he struggled to compose himself.Tempted, he hurried to a nearby bank, momentarily forgetting his worries of being implicated. Fumbling with his debit card, he inserted it into the payment machine. The screen lit up, offering options to complete the transaction.He swiftly withdrew ten £20 bills and hailed a taxi to a mobile store.Arriving at the sleek 'Nexus Tech Store', Leander admired its trendy vibe. His platinum blonde hair tousled by the breeze, he stepped inside, greeted by mahogany shelves and modern lamps. The store showcased state-of-the-art gadg